Walk That Fragile Line
by Carlet
Summary: Hook has one mission and one mission only: to make Emma Swan fall in love with him...or he dies. But what happens when his heart becomes an obstacle along the way? And better yet, how will Emma feel? Could this be the best thing that happens to them?
1. Chapter 1: One More Mission

**Author's note: This takes place after the ep 2x09 and then goes AU. Hope y'all enjoy!**

**Thanks to the amazing MonkeyLovr for her idea for this story!**

Chapter 1: One More Mission

The faint outline of the town, partially shrouded in the thick afternoon fog, grew closer and closer with each passing second. With each beat of his heart, he was that much closer to his revenge. To finally skinning himself a crocodile.

His long time ally turned momentary adversary turned ally yet again stood calmly and motionlessly beside him, her hands limply at her sides, her gaze fixed upon the buildings seemingly growing before them. She had on her face what he'd long dubbed her serious face, the face that all should fear.

Pulling out his old spyglass, the smooth metal worn by years of use, he held it up to his eye, examining the place before him. He trusted his ship beyond a shadow of a doubt, having traveled to many worlds together, but there was always the chance that the Jolly Roger had sailed to the wrong place. He looked around, turning his head from side to side, until his eye spied something bright and red that caused a grin to grow on his face. Storybrooke Cannery.

_What the bloody hell was a cannery?_ He wondered vaguely. But that didn't matter. The word Storybrooke caught his eye again. They'd done it.

Upon seeing his wide grin, Cora turned her head and fixed her stern gaze on his face. "See something you like, Captain?" Her low voice hummed.

"Storybrooke." Hook gestured with his spyglass. "We've made it."

Standing in the chilly afternoon, the wind ruffling his hair, he took a deep breath, instantly feeling refreshed. Finally, he was going to get what he came for. He snuck a look at the dark tattoo etched on his arm and gently brushed over it. Finally, Milah would be avenged.

Before long, the ship was docked. To ensure that no one came across it, Cora waved her hand and a ripple shot through the air, encompassing the ship. Hook poked at the air above his head with his hook, starting as the hook made contact with something invisible yet very much solid.

"A shield, I presume?"

"To hide the ship." Cora answered.

"Of course." Hook said.

For a moment, both are lost in the simple outline of the town. The town that held the key to their respective missions.

The glint of his hook in the light brought reality back as it brought back the painful memories of the day he first placed the sharp metal instrument onto his stump of an arm.

The day he lost Milah.

"If you'll excuse me, I believe I have a crocodile to skin." Hook growled as he began to make his way to the stairs. "I do wish you the best of luck with your daughter."

"Not so fast." Cora said, and seconds later Hook felt something around his waist, restraining him. He clawed at his waist, but his hands only met air. Of course. Magic.

"I'm afraid I don't see what the problem is." Hook protested. "I've done my duty. I've brought you to Storybrooke. To your daughter. I don't see how killing Rumplestilskin should bother you."

"I'm not quite done with you yet." Cora waved her hands in the air, and he suddenly found himself turning to face her.

"What more do you want? Sweet talking women is a particular talent of mine, I'll admit, but I'm afraid Regina won't take kindly to my appearance."

"I have one more mission for you." Cora answered.

Hook had to bite on his tongue to keep from groaning. "And what will that be?"

"I need you to keep Emma Swan and her nosy parents busy." Cora said simply.

"What exactly does that have to do with reuniting with your dear daughter?"

"Why, my dear captain, everything. You see, Regina thinks I'm dead. But by now, Emma and Snow would've undoubtedly told everyone about my existence. The moment I show up in town, they'll be suspicious, to say the least. The last thing I need are people trying to stop me."

"You have magic." Hook pointed out.

"Ah, but so does Emma." Cora frowned. "Maybe even stronger than mine. And that is exactly why I need you as a distraction." She leaned in real close, her face inches from his. "Make her fall in love with you." Her voice was low and dangerous, and he could see the intensity in her eyes.

"How exactly am I supposed to kill Rumplestilskin while trying to _woo_ Swan?" Hook wrinkled his nose.

"You'll figure it out. I have complete faith in you." A grin crept across Cora's features. "You said so yourself "Sweet talking is a particular talent of yours." She said sweetly.

"And what if I refuse?"

"Then you die." Cora said simply. And with that, she disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, leaving Hook in a confused muddle of thoughts.

**Author's note: Hope you enjoyed it! Reviews would be much appreciated. **


	2. Chapter 2: Change of Scenery

**Author's note: Oh my gosh thank you all so much for your responses! I hope you know how much I really appreciate it :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time, or else Emma and Hook would've hooked up a long time ago. **

Chapter 2: Change of Scenery

In a word, Emma Swan was bored. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this way. For most of her life, simply struggling to survive took up most of her attention, time, and energy. Every day was a battle. Even after establishing herself as a bail bonds person and having a steady income, that came with a whole new set of challenges.

Moving to Storybrooke made things a little easier, but then she'd begun her unofficial battle against Regina. Thinking up ways to one up or thwart the Evil Queen was no easy matter, for Regina was quite skilled at doing so as well. There had been the whole matter of dealing with Henry: making sure he got home in time, dealing with his fairy tale obsession, getting to know him, and of course, _saving him from that cursed turnover._

And then falling into a portal and landing the Enchanted Forest hadn't exactly been a cakewalk. From ogres to giants to Regina's crazy mother, she always had to be on her toes.

Even she and Regina had been getting along pretty well. At first, Emma had been wary of her, remembering their history. But then Henry had told her that she'd played a key part in bringing them home. And the Evil Queen _had _looked pretty sincere. So Emma had agreed, albeit tentatively, to let Henry stay with his adoptive mother a couple weekends each month. She _was _his mother, after all.

So yes, Emma was bored. For the first time ever, there wasn't anything to deal with. Nothing that was threatening her life. She had enough to eat, a steady and mostly safe job, and nothing to worry about. And that was completely unnerving.

She couldn't help but think that this was the calm before the storm. Her life was never this calm. She could feel deep in her bones that something was about to happen. But what?

* * *

As per her usual routine, Emma strode into Granny's at exactly 8 am for her morning coffee run before work. Except this time, she had a coffee order for two, as David was now her deputy. He'd taken over her job during her time in the Enchanted Forest, and it felt wrong to just leave him without a job. Deputy was much more his speed than animal rescue worker.

"Morning." Ruby said cheerfully as Emma approached the counter. "Same as usual?"

"Yep. But make that two."

"Got it." Ruby scribbled something down on a pad. "That'll just be a few minutes."

"Great." Emma said as she sat on a stool to wait. Though she liked Granny's coffee, she really should invest in a coffee maker for the station. It hadn't really been a priority before, with dealing with Regina and all, but now things had died down, it would be probably be more convenient to make her own coffee every morning.

As the diner gradually began to fill up, Emma sat back and listened to the hustle and bustle of Storybrooke's residents. It felt like, well, home_._ She looked around the room and was startled to find that she'd actually really missed this place when she was gone.

Turning towards the door to wave at Archie, who strode through the door, umbrella in hand as usual, she suddenly spotted something out of the corner of her eye. A dark haired man in a long leather coat, striding purposefully down the street. Was it her imagination or did that look like…Hook?

Standing up, she quickly crossed the room towards the window and pressed her nose against the glass, searching the streets for him. She was startled to find that part of her actually wanted to see him. After their last encounter, in which he'd saved Aurora's heart, she'd wanted to apologize for leaving him atop the beanstalk. Turned out he wasn't that bad after all.

"Emma, coffee's up." Ruby said cheerfully, causing Emma to jump in surprise, effectively tearing her away from the window. Deciding that it was just a trick of the light, she walked over the counter. There were tons of people who wore leather coats, right?

Collecting the two coffee cups, as well as a bag of pastries she'd decided to buy at the last minute, Emma exited the diner, taking a sip from one from one of the cups, letting the rich flavors dance on her tongue. Coffee was one of the things she'd missed most in the Enchanted Forest. It was good to be back.

She walked down to the street towards her car, struggling to balance everything while rifling through her pocket for her keys. Juggling had never been one of her strong suits, and just as luck would have it, as soon as her fingers hit the cool metal of her car keys, she fumbled and they came tumbling down, hitting the pavement.

"Dammit." She cursed quietly as she bent to pick them up, placing the coffee and pastries on the ground. And that's when she saw it again. The same man in the leather coat, heading towards the park.

Coffee abandoned, she started towards him. Almost immediately, as if he sensed her following him, he quickened his pace. Emma followed suit and took off at a jog, feet flying down the pavement. He looked backwards and sped up even more. She craned her neck, desperate to see if it was Hook, but all she could see was the slope of his nose.

_Why am I doing this?_ She asked herself. _Chasing after a strange man in the park. _But she had to know if it was him.

She chased him down the street, weaving in between startled pedestrians and parents walking their kids to the bus stop, all while squinting at the figure.

It _was _him. Emma realized with a gasp. She recognized the familiar shape of his back. And who in the world wore leather pants on a Monday morning? Was that a _hook,_ glinting in the morning light_? _Yep, it was definitely him. But what was he doing here? And then it occurred to her that if he was here, Cora must be too. That was not a good sign.

He was heading towards the men's bathroom in the park. Somewhere she couldn't go. Sneaky bastard. With a renewed burst of energy, she took off in a sprint, launching herself straight at him, tackling him into the grass. They fell down, Emma being sure to keep all of her weight atop him, in case he tried to escape.

"Are you trying to kill me, lass?" He grunted, voice muffled by the grass.

"What are you doing here?" Emma growled. "_How _did you get here?"

"Why, I came to see you, love." He lilted. Emma rolled her eyes and wrenched his arm behind his back painfully, causing him to groan loudly.

"What are you doing here?" She repeated, twisting his arm until he answered.

"All right, all right. I came through a portal. The same one that brought you and your dear mommy back."

She sat back on her heels, momentarily startled. _What?_ She'd thought that the portal had closed right after she and Mary Margaret jumped in. Apparently, she'd been wrong.

He wriggled beneath her until he was on his back, facing her. "You know, if you wanted me on my back, all you had to do was ask." He smiled with a cheeky grin. "We could stop this and do more enjoyable activities, if you know what I mean."

"Funny." She snapped. "You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"

"Change of scenery?" He tried.

"Doubtful." She shot back, reaching back for her gun. "You have one more try. What are you doing here, Hook? Where's Cora?"

At the word Cora, something shifted in his eyes, but just as quickly as it came it passed. "You know, I can read you like an open book, lass. I know that you aren't gonna use that metal wand in your hand on me, because I won't be able to answer your questions if I'm dead."

Dammit, he was good.

As if sensing her uncertainty, he continued. "If you let me up, I'll answer anything you want. I promise I won't try to run." He winked. "Who am I to deny a woman who wanted to see me so bad she tackled me to the ground?"

Watching him carefully, she stood up slowly, and he did the same. She faced him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Where's Cora?" Emma enunciated every word, her voice low and dangerous.

"I haven't a clue." Hook said as he dusted himself off. Emma glared at him. She couldn't tell if he was lying, and that bugged her to no end. What was it that Mary Margaret said? That her superpower tended to be unreliable when she let her emotions get in the way?

Right. What emotions? Right now, she was just annoyed by a smarmy, smart mouthed, innuendo loving pirate.

"You sure?" She eyed him disdainfully. "You two seem to be pretty tight."

"Well, what can you say? It wasn't like she left me to die atop a beanstalk." He retorted.

"You made it back just fine." Emma said flatly.

"The only thing I excel at is surviving." He pointed out. "Amongst…other things." He said, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Yet again, he'd managed to dodge her questions.

She grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him real close, until their noses were practically touching. Vaguely, it occurred to her that she was currently pressed up tightly against his firm, toned chest. And that it felt…good? "Listen, buddy. I have a fully loaded gun and I'm not afraid to use it. I may not kill you, but I know how and where to use it to make it _hurt._"

He stared back at her, the intensity of his stare practically burning a hole through hers. But he stayed mum.

"Alright, fine. Don't answer me." Emma released him. "But rest assured that I'll be keeping a close eye on you from now on."

"I'd despair if you did." He simpered.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Whatever you're up to, it's gonna fail." She shot him a smirk as she turned to go.

Hook waited until she was well out of earshot before muttering quietly, "Don't be so sure, lass. I can be quite charming when I want to be."

* * *

Emma didn't know why, but she decided not to tell anyone about Hook's appearance just yet. But that was a bad idea on so many levels. For all she knew, Hook and Cora were here, ready to wreck havoc on the town. Maybe they were here to kill her and her family. In any case, they should all be preparing for battle.

She trusted that Hook would stay hidden. If there was one thing she knew about him, it was that he wasn't stupid. Highly irritating, but also sly and cunning.

Emma decided that she would just have to lie low and keep a very close eye on him until she figured out what he was up to. Better to do that then freak everybody out. The second he slipped up (and she knew he would), she would pounce. She would just have to watch him very carefully from now on.

Much to her surprise, a smile flitted across her face.

**Author's note: So what did you think of their first interaction? 4 days till the Once premiere! Ahhhh so excited! **


	3. Chapter 3: Coffee and Spam

**Author's note: 2 days till the Once premiere! Ahhh! **

**Sorry this ch is shorter. Next one will be alot longer, promise. Again, thank you so much for your responses to the last ch. **

Chapter 3: Coffee and Spam

True to her word, Emma found herself heading to the grocery store the following afternoon, in search of a coffee maker. If the one at home hadn't broken down, she could've used the one from her apartment in Boston for the station.

Emma slowly perused the selection, wishing that there were more to choose from as she walked down the aisle. As she reached for one of the coffee makers, she heard a squeak, sounding very much like someone's shoe scuffing across the ground. Thinking nothing of it, she picked up another and inspected it. But then there was the squeak again. She turned around, half expecting to see someone there, but she was alone. Twice she thought she saw someone watching her out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned to look no one was there.

Suddenly, she was aware of someone's presence behind her, breathing down her neck. She could practically feel their eyes burning a hole through the back of her head. The hairs on the back of her neck rose as she froze, hand inches from the shiny handle of an impressive looking machine.

"Why, hello love." A low voice in her ear said, causing her to jump horribly and let out a horrible yelp. "Fancy meeting you here."

"_Hook_!" She hissed as she turned around.

"Yes, that's my name. Thank you for stating the obvious."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Same thing as everyone else." He said. "Getting food."

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?"

"I'm here for…" He reached over and plucked the first can in sight off the shelf. "Spam." He read. "Ugh. What the bloody hell is this stuff?"

Emma couldn't help but laugh at the horrified look that crossed his face; that had been her reaction when she'd first come across Spam as well. "It's food. You eat it." She rolled her eyes as she placed the can back on the shelf.

"Good to know." He said, picking up the can again and inspecting the label. "Some type of meat, I presume?" He wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Well, actually no I wouldn't exactly call it meat…" Emma began, but then realized who she was talking to. "Are you following me?" She cocked her head, placing her hands on her hips. "I seriously doubt you're here for groceries."

"And how would you know?" Hook countered. "For all I know, you could be the one following _me. _Here I am, just going about my business, when you pop out of nowhere. Scared me to death." He placed his hand on his heart in a melodramatic gesture.

"That's just ridiculous!" Emma argued. "I'm pretty sure that you were the one who followed me."

"You have no evidence."

"Uh, considering how you just showed up behind me? Yeah, I do."

"Nuh uh." He said, sounding surprisingly childish.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Hook." She sidestepped him in an attempt to get to the coffee makers. "Just go off and play with yourself somewhere." She said, before realizing too late how that sounded.

With every step she took, she found an amused Hook in front of her, efficiently blocking her way. Each time she reached for a coffee maker, Hook would whisk it off the shelf and make a show out of inspecting it, though it was clear he had no idea what he was holding.

"I knew you couldn't resist me." He smiled as she found him inches in front of her yet again.

"Hook!" Emma threw up her hands in exasperation. "Will you move out of the way?" She sighed exasperatedly.

"Not unless you say please." He laughed. "You see," He leaned in close to her ear. "I hear it's the magic word." His eyes glinted amusedly as he took in her annoyed expression.

"You know what else is just as efficient?" Emma retorted. "This." With one hand, she shoved him aside impatiently.

"Oh, Swan." He said as he straightened himself. "I see you like it rough."

"Got you to move, didn't I?" Emma shot him a tight-lipped grin before turning back to the shelf. She took a deep breath, trying to concentrate on the task ahead. Spying a machine that made two cups, she strode over and examined the box.

Suddenly, she felt a chin on her shoulder. "What's coffee? Sounds about as nasty as Spam."

Emma fake gasped in horror and spun around to face him. "How dare you compare coffee to Spam?" She said, sounding offended. "I'll have you know, coffee is the drink of the gods."

"Really?" Hook didn't sound convinced. "Never had it."

"Didn't expect you to." Emma said. "According to Mary Margaret there weren't any coffee beans in the Enchanted Forest." She shuddered in horror. "Life without coffee. Ugh."

"I've never had any and I've survived pretty well." He pointed out. "Though we did have rum. Now that was a truly amazing invention."

"You haven't lived until you've had coffee." Emma argued. "Even better than rum. Doesn't get you drunk."

"I sincerely doubt that anything can best rum."

"Then you're wrong. You're just saying that because you've never tried it."

"Well I guess you'll just have to take me out for some, won't you Swan?" He winked, before walking off.

It took Emma a good couple of minutes to realize that he'd just asked her out. And she'd unknowingly walked right into his trap.

**Author's note: Who's curious about what their date will be like? **


	4. Chapter 4: Pirate Hunting

**Author's note: Oh my God the premiere was amazing!**

Chapter 4: Pirate Hunting

As far as Emma could tell, all in Storybrooke was normal. Better than normal, in fact. Obviously, Storybrooke would never be the crime capital of Maine. But even for a sleepy town, all was calm. From what David had told her, Storybrooke had been the definition of chaos several weeks ago, around the time she and Mary Margaret were in the Enchanted Forest. People had been threatening to leave, crime had increased, and schools and shops had closed indefinitely. But now? Now, she sat around the station, just waiting for something to do.

That just made Emma all the more apprehensive. Instead of a reprieve, this felt like the calm before the storm. This brought her back to Hook. She knew, just knew, that he was up to no good. He was a pirate, for crying out loud. There was no way he'd jumped into the portal just for the hell of it.

_Might as well get something done._ Emma thought as she jumped up and grabbed her keys and coat. _Time to go pirate hunting._

* * *

Emma had no idea where he was staying, but she did know that wherever he was, he was doing a good job of staying hidden. If not, she would've heard something about a "mysterious newcomer" by now, as Storybrooke did not take kindly to outsiders.

She crossed Granny's off the list, since that was pretty much the last place Hook would go, seeing as most of Storybrooke's residents frequented the bed/breakfast. The park? Maybe. That was where the homeless slept. But then again, it was too out in the open. The docks? Well, he _was _a pirate. Maybe he was sleeping in an abandoned boat or something.

So, that's where she headed. The docks. Armed with her binoculars and a crowbar (from her thief days), Emma began her search. Most of the boats looked fairly new and well kept, but there was one towards the end that stood out in stark contrast. The windows were pretty dusty, making it more likely that he was living in it. She rubbed at the dust with her sleeve, but it was pretty thick. Looking around to make sure she was alone, Emma deftly used the crowbar to wrench open the door, pleasantly surprised that she still knew how to do it.

_Guess it's like riding a bike._ She thought as she slipped inside. The movement brought back vivid memories of stealing cars and running from cops, memories that suddenly brought tears to her eyes. Memories that she pushed to the back of her mind as she began her search.

She didn't know what exactly she was looking for. Maybe a big poster with the words: Evil Plan? Much to her chagrin, the inside of the boat was fairly innocent. Rundown, but innocent. The controls were covered with a thick cloth and the leather seats had numerous cracks. The floor had clearly seen better days.

But other than that, the boat was empty. Not what she was expecting. She would've thought there'd be a blanket or a stash of food or something. Maybe Hook was a light traveler.

"See something you like?" A familiar voice asked. Emma immediately stiffened and turned around. Hook. Of course. So he _was _living here.

"Looks like I found your hideout." She said.

"Hideout?" Hook laughed lightly. "I may be a simple pirate, but even I have standards." His eyes surveyed the room. Using his hook, he picked up the dirty cloth. "You honestly couldn't think that I'm staying here." He released the cloth, and a cloud of dust rose into the air.

Emma shrugged, waving away the dust. "Pirates love boats."

"So you decided to just, what, look in every boat until you found me?" Hook slowly approached her. "I believe that's called stalking, darling."

"It's not stalking if I have every reason to do so." Emma pointed out.

"And what's that?" Hook challenged, raising his eyebrows suggestively. "I knew you found me irresistible."

"In your dreams, buddy." She rolled her eyes. "You're a threat."

"Am I?"

"Yes. You are." She said. "You were working for Cora. Or maybe you still are. For all I know, you two are plotting something."

"Well, aren't you quite perceptive." He commented.

"So I'm right."

"I didn't say you were. Why are you so sure I'm evil?" Hook asked.

"You're a pirate." Emma argued.

"And that makes me automatically bad?" Hook responded. "I take back what I said about you being perceptive. You're making assumptions based on what you know. Which I'm willing to bet is nothing. You don't even know me, Swan."

"No, but I know your kind."

"Oh I have a kind now? And what's that?" He asked.

"Selfish. Greedy. Willing to do anything to get what you want, even if it hurts others."

"Unless I'm mistaken, darling, I'm not the one who left someone on top of a beanstalk to die."

"Never gonna let me forget that, are you?"

"Nope." He winked again.

"You know what?" Emma snapped. "I did what I needed to get back to my son. But what about you? You've probably never cared about anyone in your life. Whatever you're doing here, it's not good. The fact that you've worked with Cora just proves it."

"Maybe I was working with her because she was the only who could help me achieve my goal?"

"And what was that?"

"None of your business." His dark eyes glittered playfully.

"And that is exactly why I can't trust you! You won't tell me anything!"

"Maybe I'll tell you over a drink."

"There's no way in hell I'm having a drink with _you._" She wrinkled her nose at the very thought.

"Tell me this, Swan. Why are you dead set on the fact that I'm here for evil? Maybe I'm here to see you."

"I highly doubt it." Emma retorted.

"Suit yourself." Hook started heading towards the door. "Aren't you coming?

"Where?" Emma asked.

"I believe you owe me a drink. Coffee, wasn't it?"

**Author's note: Next ch=coffee date. Who's curious as to what that will be like?**


	5. Chapter 5: Drink of the Gods

Chapter 5: Drink of the Gods

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there." Emma said as she rushed towards Hook, who was walking rapidly down the docks. "You can't just go out there!"

"And why not?" Hook stopped and turned around.

"Because people will see you!"

"Don't worry, I won't bite." He promised.

"Funny." Emma quipped. "But, no. I'm serious. Think about it. Storybrooke is no ordinary town. It's a town full of fairytale characters. Where everybody knows each other. What do you think's gonna happen when you just show up?"

"Good point." He nodded.

Emma was momentarily taken aback. She hadn't expected that he'd agree.

"So what do you suggest we do?"

"I know." Emma said. "How about you lead me to wherever the hell you're hiding and tell me exactly what you're up to before I arrest you and leave you to rot in jail."

"Mmm, sorry love. Not happening." He shrugged. "Besides, you can't throw me in jail."

"Why not?" Emma asked. "I'm sheriff."

"Maybe, but if you put me in your jail, people will see. I'll put up a fight, and a pretty good one. And that's not what you want, now is it Swan?"

Emma blinked angrily. "And how do you know I won't just take my chances and dump your sorry ass in the middle of the road?

"I highly doubt that." Hook said. "Like you said, you're the sheriff. You'll be the one who will have to deal with everyone if they find out about me. Maybe I'll even tell them you brought me here. Who knows? And I have a feeling they won't be very understanding." He pointed out.

"Are you threatening me?"

"Not sure. Either way, are you willing to take that chance?"

Emma glared silently.

"I didn't think so. Looks like you're stuck with me." He grinned. "Don't worry, love. I don't bite." He repeated.

Emma sighed heavily. "So you're saying that I have to help you with God knows what evil plan you have in mind, otherwise you'll ruin my life?"

Hook nodded. "Yes, love. That's exactly what I'm saying." He started walking towards the road again. "Now how about that coffee?"

* * *

"What's this?" Hook reached over to the dashboard, only to have his hand slapped away.

"Don't touch that." Emma snapped.

"What?" He asked. "What's this?" His hand snaked towards the gear shift.

"Don't touch that either." Emma muttered.

He ignored her. "How about this?"

"Don't touch that." She repeated.

Suddenly, bass boomed, filling the car with loud music. Emma yelped in surprise, the car swerving violently."HOOK!" She shouted. "Are you trying to get us killed?!"

"Sorry." He muttered.

"You should be." Emma responded automatically, sneaking a look at him out of the corner of her eye. Seeing his wounded puppy expression, she softened. "Look, I'll tell you everything there is to know about cars. Just not while I'm driving, okay?"

"Deal." Hook agreed. "I don't know how you travel in this thing." He said, looking out the window. "It's going so fast."

"Must be pretty different from a boat, huh?"

"Much." Hook agreed. "My ship is gentle. She doesn't feel the need to travel at this high speed."

Suddenly, Emma noticed how tightly he was gripping the seat, and how his eyes kept darting from side to side, continually looking out the window and at the scenery speeding by outside. "Oh my God. Are you scared?" She raised an eyebrow.

"No." Hook said immediately. "I'm a pirate. I'm not scared of anything."

"You're scared!" She said.

"I'm not." He insisted.

"You know, it's ok to admit you're scared."

"Well, I'm not." Hook said stubbornly.

"Then why don't you let go of the seat?" She teased. "Relax, Hook. We're not gonna die."

"Easy for you to say." He muttered.

* * *

"Made it safely!" Emma said triumphantly as she expertly pulled the car into the lot. "Told you."

"I'll be happy once this _death trap _stops moving."

"Death trap?" Emma pressed her hand to her chest. "I find that quite offensive."

"Say what you want." Hook said as he pulled the door open. "I'm never riding in this thing again."

"Suit yourself." Emma responded. "You can just walk."

"Where _are _we?" Hook said as he looked around the empty parking lot. There was a small, ramshackle structure before them.

"Pixie Bean Café." Emma said as she slammed the door. "One of the emptiest places you'll find in Storybrooke. Probably because it's in the middle of nowhere. I come here whenever I need some quiet. Coffee's not as good as Granny's, but oh well. Can't risk taking you there."

Hook followed Emma inside the small building, and just as Emma had described, there was no one, save for a sleepy looking barista and a man typing furiously on his laptop by the window. There were three narrow tables and mismatched chairs shoved up against the wall, but other than that there was no furniture.

"How…quaint." Hook said as he surveyed the place.

"I know." Emma agreed. "Not the best, but it'll do."

As they approached the counter, the man with his laptop stared at them curiously, doing a double take when he noticed the hook on Hook's left arm.

"Keep moving." Emma hissed as she pushed him towards the counter. "And keep that thing hidden!"

"What, this?" Hook said as he held up his left arm. The hook caught the sunlight outside, glinting in the otherwise dark café.

"Yes!" Emma whispered as she shoved it back down and pushed him behind her. She shot the laptop man a tight lipped smile. "Early Halloween costume fitting."

"What?" Hook asked, but Emma shot him a look that would send most men into hiding. She stepped up to the counter and ordered two coffees. Luckily, they came relatively quickly, and in no time Emma shoved Hook out the door.

"God, that was embarrassing." Emma sank against the car. She turned to Hook. "You could've ruined everything!"

"Me?" Hook pointed to himself.

"Yes." Emma said through gritted teeth. "Did you see the way he looked at you?"

"Oh, relax." Hook said as he took a swig of the coffee. "He was just jealous. Not everyone can pull off a hook as well as I can." He said, striking a pose that Emma found admittedly sexy.

Then, upon realizing what she'd just thought, her cheeks flamed. "Sure. I'm sure he was." She turned away, hoping he didn't see her burning face. "So what do you think?" She asked, gesturing at the cup of coffee in his hand. "Good?"

He took another sip, savoring it slowly. "Yes, quite." Hook said thoughtfully. "Slightly bitter, yet very tasty."

"I told you." She grinned. "Drink of the gods."

"Yes, I do believe it is." Hook agreed.

Just then, the door chimed as the man with the laptop strode outside. Much to Emma's horror, he approached them.

"Excuse me?" He said. "Sorry to bother you, but do you know where I can get an outfit like that?" He gestured to Hook.

"What?" Emma gaped.

"You know, the outfit. The jacket and the hook. It's a great pirate outfit. Been looking for one this real for ages."

"Uh…well…." Emma stuttered.

Seeing that Emma was at a temporary loss of words, Hook jumped in. "Sorry mate. It's one of a kind. Just like me."

"Oh. Well that's too bad." The man looked at him strangely. "Thanks." He walked off towards his car, a stunned Emma and Hook staring after him.

Their eyes met and suddenly both burst into loud laughter, their bodies wracked giggles.

"Oh my God. It's one of a kind?" Emma wheezed. "That was….brilliant."

Hook grinned. "I am, aren't I?"

"And you had to add the 'just like me'?" She shook her head with disbelief. "Way to not draw attention to yourself."

"What can I say?" He said. "I was just telling the truth."

"I guess you were." Emma surprised herself by saying. "You're one of a kind, alright."

Their eyes met again. Hook slowly took another sip of coffee, his eyes never leaving hers. For a moment, his eyes landed on her lips, and Emma had the strangest feeling that he was about to kiss her. And even stranger, for a moment, she actually wanted him to.

"Um…" Emma turned away, clearing her throat. "It's probably not a good idea if we just stand here." She reached into her pocket for her keys and unlocked the door. "Come on."

* * *

"You know, we can't keep doing this. Hiding out in the forest." Emma said as she drained the last of her coffee. "We gotta get you some new clothes."

They were in the forest, a place that Emma thought was mostly secluded. True, there were many hikers, but now that it was getting colder, she figured that it was safe enough to bring Hook.

"Why?" Hook looked down at his all leather garb. "I'll have you know, plenty of women found me attractive in this."

She rolled her eyes. "Not the point here."

"Oh, so you're admitting that you find me attractive." Hook licked his lips slowly. "I knew it was only a matter of time, Swan. I knew you found me irresistible"

"In your dreams." Emma said dryly. "No, you need to blend in. You like someone straight out of a bad movie."

"A what?"

"Never mind." She brushed the question away. "I mean, did you see the way those kids looked at you earlier? Not to mention that man at the coffee place. Tell you what. Tomorrow's my day off. I'll take you shopping then."

"'What's shopping?" He wrinkled his nose at the very word.

"You'll see." Emma said. She mentally giggled at what she imagined would be Hook's reaction tomorrow.

Every part of her knew that this was probably a bad idea, that she should just arrest him before she was in over her head. She had probable cause anyway, due to their…history. Never mind that that history was in another land.

_Shopping? Really, Emma. SHOPPING?_ A voice inside screamed. _Are you insane? He's a pirate! Spending more time with him is a bad idea!_

But there was this small niggling part that was stopping her from doing so, telling her that maybe he wasn't as bad as he seemed.

_It'd probably be a better idea to watch him and see what he's up to first._ Emma told herself. _That way I won't make a mistake again. _

Besides, how was she supposed to keep an eye on him if she didn't spend time with him?

**Author's note: Emma and Hook shopping. That should be interesting!**


	6. Chapter 6: Sore Subject

**Author's note: That scene between Emma/MM made me cry sooo hard! On a lighter note, thx sooo much for all the reviews and follows! **

Chapter 6: Sore Subject

"How's everything going?" A voice said from behind.

Hook immediately stiffened, but he plastered a smile on his face as he turned around. "Cora. How lovely to see you. Quite well. And you?"

"Not as well as I'd hoped." A shadow crossed Cora's face. "My daughter does not seem to need me."

"Oh, well, all children need their parents. I'm sure it'll just be a matter of time before you convince her of so."

"I do hope so." She replied. "The thing is, my daughter is not as broken as I imagined she'd be. She seems happy."

"Well, I'm not expert, but isn't that a good thing?"

"No." Cora answered. "Not for my purposes it's not. You see, the only way my daughter will accept me in her life again is if she has nothing. And right now, she doesn't have nothing. I've seen her with a young boy that she calls Henry."

_Swan's son._ Hook realized. But for some odd reason, he thought it'd be a better idea not to mention this to Cora, lest she use the boy for her own malicious purposes. And he knew that would hurt Emma beyond repair.

Not that he cared, of course.

Cora continued. "There is something special about him, something that I need to figure out. This is not going exactly as I've planned, but in time I'll accomplish what I came here for. And that is exactly why I need you, Captain."

"Well I figured as much."

"How is everything going with Emma? Has she fallen for you yet?"

A chuckle escaped his lips. "No."

Cora grew serious. "Was I not clear in any way?"

"Oh no, you were quite clear." Hook said lightly. "It's just that…you know, these things take time. As charming and irresistible as I am, Swan is a tough nut to crack."

"Figure it out." Cora snapped. "I don't care what you do, but you _must _make Emma fall in love with you. Find out anything and everything you can about her."

"What about what I came here for? Killing Rumplestilskin?" Hook asked. "I didn't come here to help you with your daughter."

"I know." She responded. "You and I, we've been in this together for many years. When the time comes, I will help you with that. I will see to it that Rumplestilskin dies. You're not the only one who shares a history with him. But for now, if you would like to live to see the day your enemy dies, you will make Emma Swan love you."

And with that, she disappeared in a cloud of purple.

* * *

Hook lay on his bed, staring up at the wooden ceiling. The last few days had been nothing but a distraction. A fun distraction, but a distraction nonetheless. He had survived for so long, gone through so much, all with the single purpose to kill the monster who'd taken his beloved Milah away from him. And now? He was so close to achieving that, but instead was just wasting time, spending time with a woman who had nothing to do with his goal.

He supposed that he could try to escape. Go and find a way to kill Rumplestilskin and then run away. But go where? Cora would probably find him long before he could get anywhere far. And how would he kill him? From what he remembered, the crocodile was exceptionally skilled at magic, much like Cora. There was a huge change that Rumplestilskin would kill him before Hook had a change to get revenge.

No, he needed Cora's help. And that meant staying here, spending more time with Swan, trying to find a way to convince the world's most stubborn woman to love him. That was the last thing in the world he wanted to do.

But maybe, just maybe, there was a small part of him that wanted to stay.

* * *

Just as they'd agreed, the next morning at 9, Emma met Hook at the docks. He stood at the end of the road, face in a pensive expression.

"You know, this would be a lot easier if you would just tell me where you're staying." Emma quipped as Hook approached her car.

"Not a chance." Hook said, slipping into the passenger's seat. "Ugh, not this bloody vehicle again."

"It's either this or walk thirty miles." Emma replied as she started off towards the freeway. "In the rain."

"Well, I'd prefer that over an early death." Hook commented.

"Sure you would." Emma responded.

"Where are we going anyway?" Hook asked.

"I told you yesterday. Shopping."

"And where are we going to do this shopping?"

"This place I know not far from here. It'd be easier to just stay in town, but we can't risk anyone seeing you in that again." Emma's eyes flicked over his all leather outfit.

"Oh, you know you like it." Hook said, running his hand over the seat. "My, this certainly feels nice."

"Mmhmm. Bet your ship doesn't have those." She muttered. "Watch where you put that thing." She admonished. "The last thing I need is your hook ruining the seats."

"Oh, you needn't worry about that, princess." He smirked. "I'm very skilled with my hook." He raised his eyebrows suggestively, waving the hook in her face. "Wanna see?"

Emma rolled her eyes and swatted his hook away. "No thanks. And don't call me princess."

"Why not?" He asked. "Isn't that what you are?"

"No." Emma said tightly, her eyes focused steadily on the road. "And I'd appreciate it if you don't call me that."

"Well, you're certainly pretty enough." With his hook, he sifted through her tangled blonde hair, lifting it off her neck.

"Hook!" She hissed. "You have no sense of personal space."

"Just trying to have some fun." Hook replied as he settled back into this seat.

"Look." Emma turned to look at him. "This is just a shopping trip, nothing more. We're just going to get you some new clothes. I can still have your ass thrown in jail in a matter of minutes."

Hook opened his mouth to argue, but Emma rambled on. "And yes, I do know the risks. But I'm willing to take them. I can dump you on the side of the road outside Storybrooke and leave you to fend for yourself." And they were, in fact, nearing the town line. "You think I'm tough? Let's see how you feel when you come across cops who are ten times worse and not nearly as understanding as I am."

"So I think, at the very least, that you should keep your hands to yourself and not bother the one person who is saving you from rotting outside." She finished tersely. "Because in the end, don't forget that I'm doing you a favor. The world is a cold, hard place and you should be glad you're not left alone in it."

Hook stared at her for a long beat.

"You were left alone, weren't you?" He asked softly.

Emma visibly stiffened. "You don't know anything about me."

"Maybe not." Hook agreed. "But like I said before, you're somewhat of an open book. You have that look in your eyes. The look of someone abandoned."

"Well, I wasn't." She snapped.

"But…" He started.

"God, would you just give it a rest?!" She screeched, totally out of character.

Hook felt conflicted. On one hand, he knew he should continue pressing her on, to get her to open up, for that would only serve to advance his mission.

But there was a part of him that was holding him back from doing so. Something to do with the look in Emma's eyes and the tightness in which she gripped the steering wheel as she glared at the road.

He felt almost…sorry. Sorry that he'd brought up what was obviously a sore subject.

What was happening to him?

**Author's note: Yeah ok, mostly a filler ch. Shopping ch up next!**


	7. Chapter 7: Not Entirely Horrible

**Author's note: Here we go, the shopping ch!**

**Btw, for any of you who read my other story, Scattered, I know it hasn't been updated in a while but don't worry I haven't abandoned it. Just been having a huge case of writers block.**

"Here we are." Emma spoke up for the first time in almost an hour as they pulled up in front of a large building.

"We aren't in Storybrooke anymore, are we?" Hook said as he observed the structure before him.

"No." She replied. "It's not like we could shop there, so I drove us to a mall just outside of Storybrooke."

"But there are people here too. Aren't you _afraid _to be seen with me?" He teased.

"It's not like we know anyone here." Emma pointed out. "Nobody can leave Storybrooke."

"Except you, I see?"

"Yep. Because I wasn't cursed."

"Ah." Hook said.

They exited the car and walked towards the mall's entrance. People turned and stared on their way in, but that hardly bothered Emma. She just blazed ahead, ignoring everyone.

Hook felt like he should say something."Listen, Swan. About earlier…" He started, but Emma cut him off.

"It's fine." She smiled, but to Hook it was obviously forced. "Let's just get this over with."

And without another word, she pushed through the entrance, Hook quickening his pace to catch up to her. Emma strode through a doorway with the word Nordstrom printed in bright letters.

"What the bloody hell is this place?" Hook looked around in distaste at the numerous racks of colorful clothing.

"This is called a store." Emma replied as she weaved her way through the crowd. "Where people buy clothes."

"Back in my land, we had our clothing specially made."

"We have that here too, but it's pretty expensive. So most people just buy their clothes ready made." She stopped at the men's section and immediately headed for a table covered with jeans.

"How will you know if it fits?"

"You look for the correct size." Emma murmured distractedly as she began sifting through a rack of blazers.

"What?"

She stared at him for a long moment, her brow furrowing in concentration. "I think you might be a 32."

"A what?"

"Never mind. Here." She piled a bunch of hangers into his arm and pointed towards a door. "Go try those on."

Hook obeyed and disappeared. "Try the black and green shirt and the darkest jeans first." she instructed.

"What are jeans?" He called.

"The dark blue pants." She replied, an amused look crossing her face.

"Ugh." He groused. "These things? They're awful. How do you people wear them?"

"Quit complaining. Let's see it when you're done."

Hook came out, dressed exactly how she'd said. "I look ridiculous. These pants you call jeans. So rough."

"No. You look normal." Emma stood up and grabbed a blazer. "Put this on over."

He groaned, but did so anyway.

"Nice." She approved. "Navy blue. Goes with your eyes." A soft smile appeared, a stark contrast from the hunched, angry woman earlier.

Hook opened his mouth to let out one of his usual clever remarks, something about how she found him attractive, but for some odd reason, thought better of it and retreated back into the dressing room.

"These are too big." He called.

"Well, try a smaller size." Emma responded.

"And which would that be?"

She suppressed a groan in frustration, reminding herself that they didn't have sizes in the Enchanted Forest. "The ones with the lower number."

"Maybe this would be easier if you came in here and helped me." He poked his head out, a saucy grin plastered on his face.

"Ha. You're a big boy. You can do it yourself." She said, earning a chuckle from other nearby shoppers.

"Boyfriend or husband?" A woman asked.

"Neither. Friend." Emma replied. She was momentarily surprised that part of her had wanted to say boyfriend.

"You sure?" The woman winked. "Sure seems like you two have a lot of chemistry."

"I'm sure."

"Well then." The woman said. "You know if he's single?" She joked.

"He's not." Emma lied, briefly stunned at her spontaneous lie, as well as her sudden feeling of possesiveness. "Sorry."

Moments later, Hook came out, a belt in his hands, a confused expression on his face. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

Emma stood up again and walked over, taking the belt in his hands. "Here." She began threading it around his waist, and Hook jumped back in surprise.

"My my, love. If you'd wanted a little bit of Hook, you could've just asked. More than happy to give it to you." He whispered in her ear, his rough cheek rubbing against hers. "I see your tough act is just an act." He smirked.

"Always with the innuendos, aren't you?" She commented, her face burning where he'd touched her. "Just teaching you how to put a belt on, since you're too stupid to figure it out yourself."

"Me? Stupid?" Hook placed a hand on his chest, mock offended. "Never." He struck a pose in his new outfit. "So what do you think?" He asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Nice." She nodded appreciatively. "I have good taste."

"Excuse me?" He cocked his head. "I believe it wasn't for me, the clothes wouldn't look half as good."

In response, she threw another stack of shirts at him.

"More?" He whined. "You have got to be kidding. I've tried on half the clothing in this place. Can we go now?"

"Fine." Emma rolled her eyes. Men. "Wear that blazer and those pants out." She said. "And bring out the rest of the clothes."

As Hook disappeared into the dressing room again, Emma stared at his retreating form, surprised to realize that she was almost sorry to see the leather pants go.

* * *

"Hook?" Emma turned around, expecting him to be right behind her, but he was twenty feet away, staring intently at a mannequin. "What're you doing?" She called.

"How the bloody hell are they standing so still?" Hook asked in amazement.

"They're mannequins."

"What?"

"Think of them as…fake people. To model the clothes. Come on. We still have many stores to hit and a long drive back." She urged.

"Fake people?" Hook wrinkled his nose. "How barbaric." Just then, he spotted a female mannequin, clad in a tiny bikini. "Why hello there." He raised his eyebrows. "Aren't you precious?"

Emma started laughing loudly despite herself. "Hook!"

But he wasn't done yet. Snaking an arm around the mannequin, he winked. "You're looking fine today."

"Enough!" People were beginning to stop what they were doing and stare. "Come on!" Emma marched back and grabbed his arm, dragging him away.

"Sorry!" Hook called after his shoulder at the fake woman. "My woman's getting a little agitated. What can I say? I'm one of a kind!"

"What did I say about drawing attention to yourself?" She hissed as they got in line.

"You've got to admit that was pretty funny, lass."

"Well…yes." Emma admitted. "But still. And I am not your woman!"

They stopped in the shoe department next, where Hook tried on dozens upon dozens of shoes before settling on a few that he deemed "not entirely horrible."

"Why are these clothes so loose?" Hook grumbled, pulling at his new outfit as they exited the store, arms ladled with shopping bags.

"They're not." Emma protested. "What did you expect, skintight?"

"That would be preferable, yes." Hook replied. "You see, that's what the ladies find so enticing about Hook."

"Oh, trust me." Emma quipped. "I'm sure you're still turning heads."

And in fact she was right. As they walked through the mall, women stopped what they were doing and turned to look appreciatively at Hook. Several even whistled loudly, causing Hook to look over and wink.

"Why, hello ladies." He called.

A flare of annoyance rose as she watched women nudge each other and point to the flirty pirate, who waved at them with his good hand. He was _her _pirate. Then, she shook her head. Since when did she think of him as hers?

"Oh, for heaven's sake." Emma hissed as she grabbed his hand and marched away. "The last thing you want to be doing is drawing attention to yourself."

"Why not?" Hook argued. "You said so yourself. I look normal now."

In response, Emma held up his left arm. "Hook."

"Yes?"

"No." She shook his arm vigorously. "Hook. Normal people don't have hooks on their arms. What do you think is gonna happen when people see this? They're gonna think you're nuts and call the cops. And then what?"

"I can defend myself." Hook protested.

"Mmhmm. Yeah. One guy with a hook versus a dozen with guns? Keep dreaming." Emma responded dryly. "We need to find a way to disguise the hook. Or maybe you'll have to take it off..."

"No!" Hook said, looking visibly affronted.

"We have to." Emma said petulantly.

"I can't. I refuse."

"It's just a hook." She said. "A substitute for your hand."

"I-it's a part of who I am. Been that way for so long. I can't part with it." He insisted. "Reminds me of who I am and what I stand for."

She stared at him for a long moment, taking in the suddenly vulnerable expression on his face. "Okay."

"That's it? No argument?" He was momentarily stunned, having expected their usual back and forth.

"Nope." She said simply. "I get it." Almost subconsciously, she reached up and touched the swan necklace around her neck.

"Thank you, Swan." He said sincerely.

Emma nodded. "But you have to keep it hidden. No exceptions."

"Understood."

"Good."

As they walked through the mall, Hook noticed that his hand was still entwined in hers. And that it felt weirdly right.

**Author's note: Soooo did anyone pick up on the similarities between Hook's hook and Emma's swan necklace?**


	8. Chapter 8: Out of Your Element

**Author's note: Thanks for all the reviews! Couldn't concentrate on hw, so y'all get a new ch instead. **

"Whew, that's the last of them." Emma said as she struggled to close the trunk. "God, I'm exhausted." She sank against the car, pressing her palms against her eyes.

"I must say, I am enjoying these new clothes. Much more comfortable."

"Told ya." She smirked. "Come on. We have a long drive back and I don't wanna hit traffic."

Suddenly, a loud growl filled the air. Emma looked at him in surprise. "Was that you?"

He shrugged. "What can I say? Shopping is more exhausting than I thought. Hence the miserable look on the other men's faces in the store."

"You didn't even do anything! I carried the bags out and I found all the clothes! All you had to do was try them on." She protested.

"That's still work."

She rolled her eyes. "Sure. Sure it is." She looked at her watch. "Well, it's almost 5, and we'll probably just be stuck in traffic now. Why don't we go get something to eat?"

* * *

"McDonalds?" Hook wrinkled his nose. "What the bloody hell is _that_?"

"Food." Emma answered simply. "I'm not its biggest fan either, having had it way too many times with…" She stopped abruptly. "But it's fast and simple. It'll have to do."

She had been on the verge of revealing something, Hook was dead sure. The only question was, how would he get her to spill?

He followed her inside the brightly lit building, where he stopped and stared at the shiny benches and sticky looking kids. "Well this is…interesting." His voice dripped with sarcasm. Just then, he spied a toddler sporting a paper pirate hat and a plastic hook.

"That's not very realistic." He observed, picking up the toy and staring critically at it. The toddler took one look at Hook and promptly burst into tears.

"Just go find a seat! And don't talk to anyone!" She hissed, turning to smile apologetically at the kid's parents, who were throwing her dirty looks. "Sorry, he's off his meds today."

She quickly stepped up to the counter and ordered, and within minutes arrived at the table Hook had chosen with a tray full of steaming food. "Here. Eat up."

"What is this?" Hook said, a bemused look on his face as he held up a French fry to the light. "Some kind of grain?"

"Not exactly. It's a French fry." Emma said. "It's a potato but sliced up in tiny pieces and deep fried…oh, you know what? Just eat it."

Hook still looked uncertain. "People actually eat this?"

"Yes." She gritted her teeth. "Just eat it. People are staring."

He shrugged. "I've lived through worse." And with that, plopped it into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully. "Well, it's not bad. A little dry though."

"Try this." She shoved a packet of ketchup across the table towards him.

"Much better."

"Here." Emma handed him a burger. "Meat and a bun. Please tell me you recognize meat and bread."

"Well, not in this form, but yes love I do know what meat and bread is. I'm a pirate, not a complete idiot." He replied.

"I'll beg to differ." Emma muttered.

"Funny." Hook said. "If I recall, you were quite out of your element in the Enchanted Forest."

"I…at least I didn't make a big fuss over everything!" She sputtered.

"Yes, you did." He replied. "Practically refused to eat anything."

"Well, the food there was weird! I mean, chimera? Who the hell eats that?"

"Everybody, love. Everybody. And I could say the same about your food." He cocked his head to the side. "Ah, can't argue with that can ya?"

"Whatever. Just eat your burger. We have a long drive."

* * *

"Aw, crap." Emma groaned. "We're almost out of gas."

"So?" Hook said from the passenger's seat, where he was polishing his hook. "Get some more."

She shot him a look. "That's what I'm doing, Sherlock."

Luckily, there was a gas station open not far. Emma hopped out of the car. "I'll be right back. Stay here and don't touch anything."

"Well sorry to disappoint, lass, but I do believe I'm touching the seat."

"Real mature." She fired back.

Emma was back moments later, only to be greeted by an empty car. "Really?!" She leaned against the door in frustration. Five, ten, fifteen minutes passed. She wanted to go look for him, but she couldn't just ditch her car. A gnawing feeling began growing in the pit of Emma's stomach. Three times she contemplated just driving off and leaving him, but she couldn't bring herself to do that.

Then there was a rap on the window, and she looked up to see Hook standing outside.

"What the hell?!" She screeched, slamming the door to the car. "The one thing I told you to do was stay in the car! And that's the one thing you couldn't do, wasn't it?" She ranted, pacing around the empty gas station. "God! I knew this was a mistake! It's like you can't follow instructions! Just keep quiet, don't draw attention to yourself, and you do the exact opposite! All freaking day! Do you have any idea how frustrating it is? To always have to cover for you? And it's not like you're making it easier! I wasted my entire day, helping you, and this is how you repay me? By disappearing?!"

There was a long, tense silence.

"Well, if I'd known how angry you would've been, I certainly never would've left to get these." He held up his hand.

And that's when she noticed the two cups of coffee delicately balanced in his good hand "What?"

"Coffee. You do like that, don't you?"

She blinked. "Y-yes but…" And then it dawned on her. "You left to get me coffee?"

"You know, for an incredibly smart woman, you are remarkably slow."

"How did you get the money to…?" Emma shook her head. "Never mind, I don't wanna know."

"Are you gonna take it?" He held it up. "It's rather hot."

She took one of the cups, suddenly feeling shy. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. That was out of line."

"But everything that you said, it was correct. I _did _make things harder for you. And I'm sorry." Hook started.

"No…" Emma protested. "Look, I get it. You're out of your element here. I should've been more patient."

"Nah. I've given you plenty of reasons to abandon me." He pointed out. "But you haven't. So…thank you."

Suddenly, without warning, Emma reached up and kissed him on the cheek. And then froze. She didn't know who was more shocked: Hook or herself.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"Thanks for the coffee. It was really sweet. And for what it's worth, it wasn't a waste of time. I had fun."

_I had fun._ Emma didn't know what surprised her more: the kiss or the fact that she actually meant what she'd said.

**Author's note: Awwwwww. I thought the coffee was exceptionally sweet. What do y'all think? **


	9. Chapter 9: The Sooner the Better

**Author's note: Oh. My. God. That kiss. Ahhhh! Who else jumped up and down and screamed when they saw that? **

Chapter 9: The Sooner the Better

Without even realizing, Hook's hand hadn't left his cheek since he'd lain down on his bed that night. For the first time in forever, he felt warm inside. Warm and content. Today had been fun. More fun than he'd had in a very long time. And if he was being entirely truthful, he'd pulled half the stunts he did just to bring a smile to her face.

That kiss had been a major achievement. But instead of triumph that he'd progressed, he felt…almost giddy. Hook hated to admit it, but he was already looking forward to what tomorrow would bring, already anticipating their inevitable banter. Earlier, as he'd exited her car, she'd mentioned something about finding him a place to live. Obviously she still thought he was living in that abandoned boat or in the forest like a barbarian or something.

Was that guilt? Captain Hook did not feel guilty, nor did he have anything to feel guilty for. Ugh. This whole situation was making him dizzy. Hook swung his legs out of his bed and pushed open the door to outside. Maybe some fresh air would clear his head.

Cora stood outside, waiting for him.

"Cora." Hook said in greeting.

"You're back late, Captain."

"Yes, well. Long drive." He answered.

"Cars are so strange, aren't they?" She replied. "New clothes. They suit you." She observed.

"Thank you." He bowed in response.

"How is everything going?" It was obvious by the sinister undercurrent in her voice that she was here for more than casual banter.

"Quite lovely." He hoped to try and keep the conversation light, for he had a strong feeling that something was about to go wrong.

"Good, good." She began pacing the ship, and for some reason this made Hook nervous. "Has she told you anything that might be of importance?"

"No." Hook answered. "I can honestly say she hasn't. She is a bit taciturn. Quite frustrating, actually."

"Well you must try harder, my dear Captain. I would hate to dispose of you after everything we've been through together." She said pleasantly, making it all the scarier.

"Aye. Of course." Hook nodded in understanding.

"Oh, I have one more mission for you."

"Another?" He frowned.

"Yes, it's quite simple, actually. You needn't worry. I want you to kill her."

The world just about froze. "_What_?" A nervous chuckle escaped his lips. "You want me to what?"

"Kill her." Cora said simply, as if she was merely describing the weather.

"Right now?"

"Oh no, of course not." She simpered. "When the time is right, and I'll let you know when that is, I want you to rip her heart out. I trust that you still know how to do so."

Hook nodded distractedly. "Yes, yes. But why?"

"Because she's a threat. And a big one. She is the product of true love, much stronger than Regina or myself can ever be. She will possibly be the only thing standing between Regina's and my happiness."

"Well why can't you do it?" He asked.

"I've already tried, but she was able to resist me. My dark magic repels hers. But you? You _have _no magic. You'll be able to do it. Any objections?" Cora raised an eyebrow.

"Oh no." Hook shook his head. "Of course not."

"Good. I'll see you soon." And with that, she was gone.

* * *

Kill her. He had to kill her. Rip her heart out and crush it front of her. Watch as she fell to the ground, never to rise again. Never to open that mouth and argue with him. Never to roll her eyes at him again. The very thought was making him nauseated.

But then again, it wasn't like he cared. Emma was nothing more than a pawn, a way for him to achieve his ultimate goal: killing Rumplestilskin. The sooner he took care of her, the sooner he could move on to what he came here for.

A small gnawing feeling of dread began to grow inside as the full force of what he would have to do hit him. And then something occurred to him, hitting him so hard he had to sit down to fully process it.

He was bloody falling in love with Emma Swan.

**Author's note: Yep, bet some of you saw it coming. But now he has to kill her. Hmmm...**


	10. Chapter 10: Much Stronger

**Author's note: Wow, thanks for all the reviews! Love y'all!**

Chapter 10: Much Stronger

"So, since it's not like you can stay at Granny's, I thought we'd go apartment hunting today." Emma announced the next morning. They were at the Pixie Bean Café again, which Hook was surprised to learn served breakfast. More specifically, they were hunched in the car, which was parked in empty lot, behind a big bush.

"Why?" He took a swig of his coffee. He'd grown accustomed to the taste and was shocked to find out that he actually enjoyed it.

"Because it's not like you can keep staying in…" She prompted, but Hook shook his head.

"Damn!" She said. "Anyways, I picked up a bunch of brochures this morning, and we can go look at them later. I can just get the apartment in my name, of course, and no one will ever know."

"Swan…you don't have to do this." Hook said, feeling a stab of guilt as he looked into her carefree face. "Don't you have work to do?"

"Nope." She answered breezily. "Not really."

"I know you didn't leave me on that beanstalk for nothing. Don't you have a son?"

"He's with Regina for the next week." Emma answered.

"Other family, then?"

Something flashed in her eyes, something unreadable that Hook filed away to dissect later. "Look, I said I can do it."

"But I'm fine where I am." Hook protested.

"And where would that be?" Emma raised an eyebrow. Hook stayed mum. "Really? You still won't tell me?"

"Nope." He shook his head vigorously. _Because if you knew the truth, love, you'd never forgive me. _

"Well, wherever it is, I'm sure it's pretty crappy." She turned back to her stack of brochures.

Suddenly, the question that had been on the forefront of his mind since the previous night tumbled out of his mouth. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Emma looked at him, startled. "I'm always nice." She protested.

Hook laughed. "Hardly, lass. If I recall, you..."

"Left you on top of a beanstalk to die." Emma completed automatically. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. You should really get a new catchphrase."

"That would mean giving you a reason to hurt me again. No thanks."

She smiled wryly. "Since when do I need an excuse?" Casting aside the flyers, she started the engine. "Come on let's go check out apartment #1."

* * *

"This is where people live?" Hook walked around, peering at the apartment in disgust.

"Yes." Emma said testily. "Come on, it's not that bad. I've lived in worse." She muttered.

They looked around the tiny studio apartment, at the peeling paint on the walls, the stained windows, the narrow, dirty space where the refrigerator used to be, and the dust bunnies on the ground.

"Ok, it's pretty bad." Emma admitted. "But it's nothing a little paint and a lot of elbow grease can't fix."

"Really, love." Hook said. "You don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do." She insisted. "That way I can keep an eye on you at all times."

"Oh?" Hook raised his eyebrows. "Is that so? I knew you had a thing for me."

"Not a chance." She responded. "You still won't tell me what you're up to, and I can't risk having anyone see you. This is the perfect solution."

"So you want me to stay in here, in this filthy hell hole, all day?"

"Exactly." She grinned. "I knew you'd catch on."

"And what if I refuse?"

"Then it's off to jail with you!" Emma replied cheerfully, turning towards the door. "Come on. Time to go furniture shopping."

* * *

"Whew!" Emma said as she slammed the door with her hip, boxes piled in her arms. "That's the last of em."

"You know, lass." Hook commented as he strode inside, a bag balanced on his hook, "For a small woman, you're remarkably strong."

"Thanks." She grunted, trying to move a table that was clearly too big for one person. "Uh, a little help?"

"Oh. Right." He replied. Together, they managed to shove the offending table against the wall.

"There!" She stood back proudly. "Looks pretty good, if I do say so myself."

Hook looked around the now furnished studio apartment, and even he had to admit that it wasn't half bad. Much more welcoming than his ship. Or maybe that had to do with the fact that she was there. The once awful looking room had been transformed into a cozy little place, with strings of what she called Christmas lights strung over the windows, cheerful little lamps strewn around, and a big throw rug. The walls were now a gleaming beige, and the windows scrubbed to perfection.

He'd been planning to just continue living on his ship, but maybe he'd stay here once in a while.

"I should probably go." Emma said, looking at her watch. "It's getting late. Don't need the parents on my case. I'll see you tomorrow, and you better be here."

Suddenly, he didn't want her to go. "Wait." He said, causing her to turn around. "Want to try some of the best damned rum in all the lands?" He pulled out a bottle from his jacket.

Emma looked at him suspiciously. "Where did you get that? Did you steal it?"

"No." He snorted. "I made it." He lied. In actuality, he'd snuck back to his ship when she was out buying furniture.

"You can make rum?" Her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Yes. It's, shall I say, one of my many talents."

"I'm sure it is." She replied. "But really, I should really be going."

"Come on, love." He said. "Just one drink. You made me try coffee, so it's only fair that you try what _I_ consider to be drink of the gods."

"Oh, come on. You enjoyed the coffee. And I've had rum before."

"Well, yes. But I guarantee mine's much better." He insisted.

"Fine. One drink." She sat down at the table.

One drink turned into three, and several hours later, the bottle was empty. Emma and Hook found themselves pleasantly buzzed. Their faces were red and their sides ached from laughing at things that Hook suddenly found ridiculously funny.

The weird thing was, he'd grown so use to his particular brand of homemade rum that it barely had an effect on him anymore. So why did he feel so elated and giddy? So drunk? Maybe he'd mixed up the recipe.

Or maybe he was drunk on _her._

"Your place looks great." She commented, looking around again. "I did a really good job."

"That you did, lass." He agreed, raising his glass for a toast. She clinked hers against his and threw back the contents, barely wincing at the strong taste.

"I should really go." Emma said as she stood up, stumbling clumsily sideways.

"Whoa, careful love." He stood up, reaching out to catch her before she could hit her head on the table. "My rum's much stronger than what you're used to."

"I think you better stay the night." He said, half carrying her towards the bed in the opposite corner of the room.

She murmured something that sounded like a protest.

"No buts, lass." He replied. "Wouldn't want you driving home in that death trap like this."

Suddenly, he was aware of how close she was, her face mere inches from his. He could feel her light breaths tickle his cheek. One of his arms supported her, holding her up, while the other reached out and swept a stray lock of hair off her face. Emma blinked up blearily at him, and suddenly, her lips were on his. Her lips moved frantically against his, and her hands reached up to run through his hair, causing a chill to go down his spine.

Before he knew what he was doing, he grabbed her hips and pulled her closer, his Hook on the nape of her neck, pulling her even closer still, eradicating all distance between them. As his hand snaked under her shirt, tugging it off, he dimly wondered how it was possible for anyone's skin to be that soft.

They fell back onto the bed, both unaware of the sudden action as they were both consumed in immense passion. Her lips left his as she started leaving butterfly kisses along his neck, and her hands slowly made their way up his shirt, pulling it off, massaging his toned chest as he brought her lips back to his. He then mimicked her previous action and started kissing her neck softly. He continued this for quite some time and stopped thinking. Just let go and enjoyed the moment.

Suddenly, Hook became aware of the fact that Emma had become very still. Pulling away, his skin immediately burning at the loss of contact, he was startled to find that she was fast asleep. He pulled out the blanket from the foot of the bed and gently covered her with it.

"Much stronger, indeed." Hook said, chuckling to himself.

**Author's note: Well, that was unexpected. Psh yeah right. Who can deny their chemistry? How's Emma gonna react?**


	11. Chapter 11: Afraid

**Authors note: Holy crap that last ep was amazing! Loved Ariel! Except I hated the part when Snow/MM confessed she wanted another baby. Idk if it's just me but I hate the idea of another Snowing baby. Anyone else feel the same? Ok there's my rant enjoy this ch!**

Chapter 11: Afraid

Emma struggled into consciousness and instantly realized that that had been a severe mistake. Her head was pounding so fast she could feel her entire body pulse, seemingly as if there was some asshole banging a drum inside. The taste in her mouth was so awful, her stomach was violently revolting. The one thing that she was thankful for was that it was dark. And quiet. She had no idea, but suddenly the idea of light or noise was horribly unwelcome.

She couldn't figure out why her pillow was so hard, or why it felt like...skin? And then it occurred to her that her pillow had a heartbeat, and one that was fairly loud.

She was definitely not at home.

For a moment, panic seemed to cloud her thoughts. Whose bed was she in? Who was she with? More importantly, how had she allowed this to happen, allowed herself to lose control? She had vowed to never let this sort of thing happen again.

A startled cry escaped her lips as she realized her current situation. She was in Hook's bed. And not just in bed with him, but pressed up against his side, her leg in between his. Her left arm was flopped across his stomach, and to make matters worse, one of his arms was over her shoulders, effectively hugging her close.

She, Emma Swan, was _cuddling. _With Captain Hook, no less!

Or maybe trapped was more like it. There was no way out without waking him up, and she was not about to do that. About to listen to his constant stream of never ending innuendos. Just the thought of the sheer number of comments he'd surely have when he figured out their current situation was making her sick.

She had no idea how this had happened. What had they been doing? Suddenly, she became aware of the fact that she was shirtless, in nothing but a slightly tattered bra. And as she looked down at the torso she'd claimed as her pillow, she could see that Hook was shirtless as well.

Oh God. Emma sat up swiftly, almost immediately regretting that quick movement, as the room began spinning violently. No. No, no, no, no, no! They couldn't have…could they?

A loud groan was heard, and Emma looked down to see Hook stirring, his eyes slowly opening and adjusting to the dim light. She briefly thought about making a run for it before he could see her, starting to slowly slide off the bed, but then his eyes fully opened, and it was too late.

"Where do you think you're going, love?" He murmured lazily.

"What happened?" She demanded, and then winced at the pitch of her voice.

Hook slowly sat up and stretched. Emma couldn't help but admire his toned chest. She had this vague memory of running her hands up and down it, causing her to blush. She forced her eyes away, cheeks burning.

"Well, by the looks of it, we fell asleep." He answered.

"No shit, Sherlock." She snapped, managing to sound as angry as possible while keeping her voice down. "I mean what happened?" She gestured wildly between them and their current state of half undress.

"Isn't it obvious?" He raised an eyebrow. "You finally surrendered to your need for me. I've got to say, lass, you're not half bad."

"I can't believe you're joking about this!" Emma cried. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

"Me?" Hook gaped. "I'm not the one who nearly passed out on the floor. At least I was enough of a gentleman to put you to bed."

_I did what?! _Emma thought wildly. "Oh, so that's what you did, huh? Because I don't think getting into bed requires taking my shirt off!"

"I think you did that yourself, actually." He said, scratching his head. "Not quite sure."

"You're despicable." She hissed, retrieving her shirt from floor. "You were so desperate to get me in bed that you got me drunk with your crazy rum. I should've known this would happen. You probably had this planned all along."

"I may be a pirate, but I would never take advantage of a woman while she's intoxicated." Hook argued. "Wouldn't be any fun." He added, almost as an afterthought.

"Looks like you did!" She screeched, completely missing the fact that her jeans were still on. "You know what? I'm outta here."

"I think you're overreacting a bit there, love. Nothing happened."

"Yeah? Well I guess we'll never know, will we?!"

"Why are you so afraid?" He asked suddenly.

"What?" Emma laughed dryly. "Afraid?"

"Yes." He said. "Look. Nothing happened. We just kissed and you fell asleep. Nothing more. You know that. And yet you're acting like I've just murdered your family in cold blood."

She didn't answer, just glared angrily, arms crossed.

"Come on, darling." Hook said, crossing the room towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She stiffened at the contact. "Think of all that time we spent together. You know me. You can trust me."

"No." She shook her head, moving backwards until she was out of his reach. "No, I don't think I do. Because you're nothing more than a filthy _pirate!" _

And as she slammed the door, it occurred to her that it had felt…nice, waking up in his arms like that.

**Author's note: Well, there you go. Emma's reaction. Pretty harsh, huh?**


	12. Chapter 12: Key to His Heart

**Author's note: Over a 100 follows! Yay love you all!**

Chapter 12: Key to His Heart

Thankfully, the apartment was empty that morning, as Emma pulled the door open and slid inside. She didn't know why, but the idea of seeing other people seemed very unappealing at the moment. The apartment, always flooded with light, caused her to immediately squint, so she stomped over towards the curtains and yanked them shut, nearly tearing them off. Much better.

Next stop, the coffee machine. Emma yanked open the cupboard and cursed loudly when she discovered that they were out of coffee beans. Ugh. Was the world determined to make her suffer? Slamming the cupboard shut, she reached for the next best thing: a tall glass of water and a couple of Advil.

She was so busy sulking that she didn't notice the quiet click as the front door opened. "Mom?"

Emma turned around. "Henry? What are you doing back so early? Aren't you supposed to be at Regina's?"

He frowned. "No. I was supposed to come back today. Actually, you were supposed to pick me up this morning, but when you didn't show up, Regina drove me back."

Emma groaned, pressing the backs of her hands against her eyes. "Right. God. I'm sorry. I got a little…sidetracked with something at work." Suddenly, she was grateful that he hadn't been here last night, or he would've picked up on the fact that she hadn't come home.

"A-are you ok?" He asked, taking in her frazzled appearance. "You seem a little…" He stopped, unsure of what to say next.

"I'm fine." She answered. "Just a little tired."

"Are you sure?" Concern was written all over his face.

Suddenly, Emma was sick. Sick of everyone all up in her business. "I'm fine, ok?" She snapped, causing her son to jump at her sharp tone. "God! Just leave me alone!" She said, and then immediately regretted it.

He backed up. "Ok."

"Ugh. Henry. I'm sorry." Emma sighed. "Just having an off day. I'm gonna go take a shower."

But before she could escape to the privacy of her room, there was a sharp rap on the door. Mentally groaning, she strode across the room and pulled it open. "What?!" She practically snarled.

"It's lovely to see you too." Came the cheerful voice of Gold.

She just stared at him, suspicious. He had an unreadable smirk on his face. What did _he_ want? "Anything I can help you with?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." He answered. "As I recall, you owe me a favor."

"Yeah. So?"

"So, I'm cashing that in now."

"Ok. What do you want?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"I need your help to find my son." Gold replied. "So pack your bags and I'll be back at noon." And with that, he limped away.

Emma gaped after him. Noon? That was in like, half an hour! Talk about bad timing.

* * *

Hook paced around his apartment, unable to sit still. That's what he'd been doing ever since she'd left. Just pacing. The moment after she'd slammed the door, he'd sat frozen, unsure of what to do. Chase after her? Or let her go?

Should he have apologized? But what for? He didn't even know why she was so angry. Well ok, he did. But she'd initiated it last night, and all he'd given her what she'd wanted. Yes, it was a tad awkward, but she didn't have to react the way she did.

This just confirmed his theory that something had happened in her past, something that caused her to retreat into a deep shell. He could see it in her eyes the first time they'd met, and the stiff way she held herself when that dark haired woman (her mother, he'd learned later) spoke to her. The way she was always so cautious around him. Cautious around everyone, actually. Though she played it off with a thick layer of sarcasm, he could see right through her façade.

He should go after her to, at the very least, make sure she was ok. He knew how strong his rum was and how long the effect lasted. And explain. Explain again that nothing had happened. After all, she held the very key to his survival.

And, if he was being completely honest, the key to his heart.

* * *

Thanks to hours of spying, Hook knew exactly where her apartment was. He figured she'd be there, since there might be people at the station, making it one of the last places she'd be. Just like him, she was most comfortable when alone.

Hook walked quickly down the street, head down, keeping to the shadows, making sure his hook was tucked inside a coat Emma had insisted he buy, due to its long sleeves. Luckily, it was a miserable, rainy day, and the streets were mostly empty.

The whole time he walked, he debated over what to say. Should he even try and explain? He had a strong feeling that she wouldn't be in the mood to listen to what he had to say. He didn't even know why he was so nervous. His heart was pounding and his palms were sweating. He hadn't been this pathetic since, well, since ever. Even as a kid he'd been fairly smooth with girls.

What if her family was there? What would happen when he just showed up? Her father might not recognize him, but her mother sure would. He'd be arrested for sure. He was fairly certain that Cora would come to his rescue after a while, but that would alert everyone to the fact that he was here with Cora, since who else would help him escape. And then that would be the start of a horrible bloodbath.

Funny. Several weeks ago, he wouldn't have cared, as long as it got him to what he wanted. But now? Emma had totally made him soft.

Maybe he should just turn around. Hook was about to do just that when he heard her voice coming from just around the corner. Curious, he flattened himself against the wall of her apartment building, poking his head out.

He saw her and a boy who had to be her son, packing bags into an unfamiliar black car. Where were they going? Was she that mad at him that she'd leave town? That was pretty unlikely. But then again, he had a feeling that she was a runner.

And then he saw _him._Or rather, _it._His crocodile, who strode around the corner, leaning heavily on a cane. It took all of Hook's self-restraint not to jump out and tackle the creature to the ground, strangling the life out of him. He knew that he had to bide his time and wait for Cora's assistance. Rumplestilskin may be physically weaker in this land, but he was still the Dark One. Especially since he still had that same hungry gleam in his eye.

_No._ By the looks of it, Emma and her son were heading off on a long journey for quite a while. And with the Crocodile, the most awful, bloodthirsty creature in all the lands. They were in grave danger. And blissfully unaware, as Henry chattered excitedly about something called an airplane.

He had to go after them.

**Author's note: Well, this should be interesting. Review? Please? All you silent readers, tell me what you think of the story. **


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